Brake-head construction.



E. G. BUS SE.

BRAKEHEAD CONSTRUCTIONi APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1911.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET1- [nae/1%]? fawakz 5%556 E. G. BUSSE.

BRAKE HEAD CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1911.

1,27,609. Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

fdZl/ZZZ 5. 1556,

EDWIN G. BUSSE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BRAKE-HEAD CONSTRUCTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN G. BUssE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Brake-Head Constructions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates broadly to railway rolling stock, and specifically to certain improvements in the construction of brake heads. In several of the'accepted forms of brake heads which are approved as M. C. B.

standard construction, the brake head, together with the other parts of the brake beamare suspended from the truck by means of hangers which are seated in hangeropenings extending transversely through the head. In the form of brake-head referred to, these hanger'openings are open at the front side ofthe head, to permit the insertion of the hanger; When the shoeand shoe key are in position on the head, they extend across the open side of the hanger opening and are effective to prevent the head becoming detached from the hanger; In the event of the breaking or loss of the shoe, however, it is obvious that this means of retention for the hanger Will be destroyed. Furthermore, when the shoe key is depended upon to form the retaining means for the hanger, the key is subjected to undesirable pressure from the hanger which tends to distort thekey and also to cause undesirable pressure by the least flexible portion of the key upon the extremity of the brake shoe.

My present invention has for its purpose the provision of certain improvementsin the brake head construction whereby the hanger will be retained in the hanger openingwithout exerting this undesirable pressure against the shoe key, and by virtue of which improved construction also, the shoe key will be protected from friction of the hanger such as might operate to cause it-to crystallize, and the head will be retained on the hanger even in the event of the complete detachment of the shoe and the'key.

Other purposes and advantages of. this structure will be obvious or pointed out here- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

Application filed June 13, 1917. Serial No. 174,503.

inafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a detail view of a brake head shown mostly in side elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a top View partly in section such as would be taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. l with the key and shoe removed;

Fig. 3 is a detail similar to Fig. 1, of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail such'as would be taken substantially on line l l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 second modified form;

Fig. 6 is a top view of said modified form with the shoe hanger and key removed.

Referring to these illustrations by the ref erence numerals applied, let it be understood that-l indicates a cross section of the compression. member of the brake beam; 2 indicates generally the brake head, 4 indicates the brake shoe, and 5 indicates the hanger. The latter is disposed in the conventional hanger opening 6 in the head, which hanger opening extends transversely through the head and is open at the front side of the head. From the front ofthehead project the lugs 7 in which is seated the conventional shoe key 8 for the purpose of retaining the shoe in position on the head.

In the pocket or recess formed between the upper shoe supporting lugs 9, I dispose a latch member 10 which is pivoted on a rivet or pin 11 seated in the flanges 12 forming part of the brake head. This latch member 10-has an arm portion which, when swung to lower position, is adapted to project across the open side of the hanger opening 6, and form a closure therefor the withdrawal of the hanger 5 therefrom. The lower extremity of this latch member terminates close to the upper key retaining lug 7 in which position it is engaged by the key 8 when the latter is in place. When the latch member is swung on its pivot to a raised position, such as that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the removal of the hanger from the hanger opening is permitted. It will be observed that, when the latch member 10 is in its lowerposition, the point of contact between it and the key 8 is very near the upper lug 7 so that any stresses imparted to the key by the member 10 will be transmitted to the lug 7, and will not be is a detail similar to Fig. 1, of 2.

effective to prevent effective to produce strains in the key, or to exert pressure on the extremity of the brake head through the key. The hanger, of course, has contact with the member 10, and by said member is retained out of contact with the key S. In the imidification illustrated in Figs. 3 and -l, I show an additional means whereby the latch member 10 may be retained in position to hold the hanger 5 in place, said retaining means being independent of the key and the shoe so that, in the event ofthe loss of either of these parts, or the possible upsetting of the brake beam or truck, the latch member 10 will still be secured in place to hold the brake head on the hanger. By way of supplying this retaining means, I provide the latch member 10 with a laterally projecting portion 16 which overlies the upper lug 7 when the latch member is in lower position. This member 16 is provided with a slot 17 which is adapted to come into register with a slot 19 in the lug 7. These slots 17 and 19 are adapted to receive a pin 20, which pin is provided with heads at its ends, the lower one of which is adapted to engage under a shoulder in the lug 7 adjacent the-slot 19 when the pin is turned from the position in which it is inserted, and the head at the upper extremity of the pin is adapted to engage in a seat 18 in the portion 16, to prevent the reverse rotation of the pin to a position where it may be withdrawn from the slot 19. It will be observed that this forms a locking device for retaining the latch member 10 in lower position, and that this locking device is effective upon the latch member independently of the key 8. The key 8 may have engagement with the portion 1 1 of the latch member 10 adjacent to the lug 7 to provide a normal securing means, the pin 20 being relied upon as an emergency fastening which becomes effective in the event of the removal of the key 8. It is obvious that a number and variety of securing arrangements may be utilized to ac complish the purpose fulfilledby the pin 20.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the brake head is provided with an aperture 21whieh has communication with the hanger opening through the top portion of the head, said aperture being disposed substantially on the median line of the head so as to bring it .opposite the position normally occupied by the key 8. This aperture is bounded by a front wall portion 22 toward the front of the head. A removable latching member 10 is supplied in the form of a wrought pin or wedge, the same being of proper proportions to be insertible through the aperture 21. TVhen the key 8 and hanger 5 arein position, this removable latching member is (inserted in the aperture 21 and is driven downward between the key and the transverse member of the hanger.

Upon striking the key, the member 10 is deflected downwardly so that, as it is driven home, its lower extremity comes to a position within the upper shoe key lug 7. With the latching member in this position the key 8 is relieved of the pressure and contact of the hanger, and any pressure transmitted to the key from the latching member is re ceived by the shoe key lug without any strain being induced in the key.

It is to be observed that all of the fore going forms of my invention permit the use of the conventional 01' standard form of shoe key, as well as the standard forms of hanger and shoe. The incorporation of my improvements into the structure may be accomplished with but slight changes in the present form of brake head, none of which changes disqualifies it for use in present standard equipment. Furthermore, these improvements contribute to the provision of a very superior brake head construction, for

the reason that the shoe and shoe key are:

relieved of pressure from the hanger, the attachment of the hanger to the head is independent of the key and the shoe, and the key is relieved of any frictional contact of the hanger which would tend to cause it to crystallize or to cause it to work out of'its proper position.

WVhile I have shown in the foregoing, for the purpose of illustration, certain forms in which my improvements maybe embodied, I am aware that myinventions are not limited to the particular structures so illustrated and described, and hence it is my purpose that the appended claims comprehend all other forms properly within the true scope of the invention.

iVhat I claim is:

1. In a brake construction, the combination of'a head member having a transversely extending hanger opening which is open across the front of the head to receive the hanger, a removable latch member disposed on the head in position to span the hanger opening to prevent removal of the hanger therefrom, and a shoe key removably supportedon the head member in cooperative association with the latch member.

2. In 'a brake construction, the combination of a head member provided with a transversely extending hanger opening which is open across the front of the head for the insertion of the hanger, a hanger adapted for engagement in the hanger opening to support the head member, a swinging latch member adapted to extend across the i tion of a head member provided with a transversely extending hanger opening for reception of the hanger, said hanger opening being open across the front of the head to permit the insertion of the hanger, and a latch member alfixed to the head member and movable longitudinally of the head across the open side of the hanger opening into position to prevent the removal of the hanger therethrough.

4. In combination With the head and shoe key, a hanger engageable With the head to support the same, and a latch member having engagement With the head above the point of support thereof, said latch member extending longitudinally of the head in position to engage the hanger behind the shoe key.

5. In combination With the brake head and the shoe key, a hanger for supporting the same, and a removable latch member supported on the head intermediate the hanger and the shoe key and cooperating with both thereof.

6. I11 a brake construction, the combination of a head member having a transversely extending hanger opening which is open across the front of the head, a hanger having a portion seatable Within said hanger opening to support the head, a latch member movably aflixed to the head in position to engage the hanger at the open side of the hanger opening to prevent its removal therefrom, and removable means for retaining said latch member in effective position.

7. In a brake construction, the combination of a head member provided With a hanger opening, a hanger removably seated Within said opening, and a latch member pivoted on the head in position to retain the hanger in the said opening.

8. In a brake construction, the combination of a head member having a hanger opening, a hanger removably seated in said opening to support the head, a latch member pivotally mounted on the head in position to engage the hanger to-prevent its removal from the opening, and means supported on the head for retaining the latch member in effective position.

In testimony Whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 9th day of June, 1917.

EDWIN G. BUSSE. lVitnesses:

E. T. WALKER, R. S. DEACON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

